Up to 50 Dreamliners to stay out of service at the same time

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New York - By June 9 at the latest, all Boeing 787 Trent 1000 C engines have to undergo a special inspection to stay in line with FAA's schedule. Rolls-Royce expects that up to 50 Dreamliners will not be available for flights in the short term.

80 percent of all Trent 1000 C engines in service have been examined so far by Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and operators for quality issues and fatigue. Almost a third of the inspected drivers appeared problematic in the tests, insiders report.

Due to corrosion and cracks in the blades of the medium-pressure turbine, several Dreamliners had to return to their departure bases last year shortly after take-off.

The FAA has downgraded the ETOPS limit for affected Dreamliners from 330 to 140 minutes. Many Airlines now have to use their Dreamliners on shorter routes and replace them with other types on long-haul routes.

Since the FAA tightened safety regulations for the Trent 1000 Cs in April, Rolls-Royce has tripled its in-house maintenance reserves. The British manufacturer aims to increase the capacity even further in its centers in Singapore, London, and Derby. So far, 35 Dreamliners on average have parked at the same time for inspection.